College of Natural Sciences Master of Health Administration/ Informatics

The Master of Health Administration (MHA) program prepares leaders who can effectively respond to the dynamic and ever-changing health care industry. These individuals have a capacity to critically examine and evaluate issues and trends and are empowered to influence the destiny of the global health care system. Curriculum is tailored to the needs of the health care leader/manager by providing content in finance, policy, research, technology, quality improvement, economics, marketing, and strategic planning. In addition, students have the option to complete a specialization related to their area of interest. Specialization options include gerontology, informatics and education. The Informatics program specialization is designed for health care and nursing professionals interested in pursuing or advancing in careers associated with health care informatics and technology. Individuals with no background in informatics receive an overview of informatics as it relates to delivery within a health care facility. The program is designed to provide the learner with current knowledge in concepts of health care informatics, systems life cycle, and data management. Graduates of the MHA program will have enhanced their management/administrative background and specialty area through the completion of a curriculum that provides students with the latest theories and contemporary practice applications. Graduates are able to define their roles within the health care system and understand how to make necessary changes to create a work environment, which is team oriented and motivating to others.

Required Course of Study

HCS 504 Introduction to Graduate Study in Health Sciences/Nursing This course provides new graduate students in the College with an introduction to strategies for success within the Universitys adult learning model. Topics include program standards and objectives, graduate-level oral and written communication, locating, evaluating, and citing scholarly resources, and purposes and uses of portfolios. (1 credit) HCS 514 Managing in Todays Health Care Organizations This course focuses on the adaptation of organizational management to evolving health systems. Students will examine organizational theory, organizational performance, structure, change management and human resources management. Students apply various organizational theories to contemporary issues. (3 credits) Prerequisite: HCS 504 HCS 545 Health Law and Ethics Students explore and analyze current ethical issues such a biomedical research, insurance statutes, and demand management. Students survey the extensive legal foundations of health care, and apply current case law to contemporary situations. Topics include legal aspects of legislation, patient rights, data security, professional liability, and labor relations. (3 credits) Prerequisite: HCS 504

The U.S. Department of Education requires the University to provide the following information about each of our programs that lead to gainful employment in a recognized profession. 34% of students who completed this program during the most recent federal award year did so within normal time.1 Related occupations2 Computer and Information Systems Managers #11-3021.00 Program costs3 Tuition and fees $19,855 to $36,920 Includes cost per credit, application fee, and fees for resources (books/eResources) for students completing the program in normal time.
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Median graduate debt4 Federal Private Institutional $41,088 $0 $0

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The on-time completion rate identifies the percentage of students completing this program during the most recent federal award year who completed it within normal time. The term normal time means the length of time it would take a student to complete this program if the student is continuously enrolled, takes one course at a time, and successfully completes each attempted course. Students enrolled in this degree program are typically nontraditional students. Students may exceed normal time for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, internships, practicums, clinical rotations, student teaching or administrator experiences required for licensure. Graduates of this program will be educationally qualified to enter the occupations listed. Visit onetonline.org for job descriptions. The range provided represents the sum of tuition and typical fees required to complete the program within normal time, based on the Universitys 2011/2012 tuition levels. The actual costs that will be incurred by a particular student to complete this program will depend upon factors specific to that student. Tuition rates for this program may vary due to factors such as: (i) geographic location of the student; (ii) modality of coursework; (iii) military service; and (iv) future changes in tuition rates. The number of credits required for a particular student to complete the program will be dependent upon various factors, including: (i) transfer credits available; (ii) repeated coursework; and (iii) completion of additional specializations within this program. Please contact an Enrollment Advisor for additional information. The figure represents the median amount of debt incurred by students who completed the program during the July 1, 2009 June 30, 2010 federal award year. The actual amount of debt a particular student will incur to complete this program is dependent on various factors specific to the student. Please contact an Enrollment Advisor for additional information. Master of Health Administration/Informatics Program Summary | 1 MHA-INF-002

Master of Health Administration/Informatics

HCS 539 Marketing for Health Care This course examines marketing principles as they are applied within various health care delivery systems. Special attention is focused on consumer behavior, market segmentation, environmental scanning, and identification of new market opportunities. The role of social marketing, database research, and evaluation design and interpretation are addressed. (3 credits) Prerequisite: HCS 504 HCS 531 Health Care Organizations and Delivery Systems This course is a comprehensive approach to health care organizations and systems that provide the student with an in-depth understanding of health organizations. Topics include the evolution of health care delivery during a time of financial and regulatory stress, the impact of the evolving consumer movement, and managing efficient and effective organizational structures. (3 credits) Prerequisite: HCS 504 HCS 577 Financial Management in Health Care This course presents the concepts of financial accounting important to the understanding of the health care industrys financial environment. Students interpret financial statements, prepare analyses of financial data necessary for making decisions, describe the different third-party payment methods, experiment with cost finding and price setting, and conduct break-even analysis. The course provides students with experience in capital and operating budgets, and financial forecasts. (3 credits) Prerequisite: HCS 504 HCS 533 Health Information Systems This course provides administrators and managers an overview of the information systems used in the health care industry. The effective use of data requires an understanding of how the data is captured as well as HIPAA and security issues related to this confidential material. The course provides students with a general background for communicating more effectively with technical personnel and providing general management oversight of information systems within health care organizations. (3 credits) Prerequisite: HCS 504 HCS 535 Concepts of Population Health This course addresses the epidemiological and sociological perspectives and techniques for analyzing the heath status of populations. Topics focus on disease trends, distribution and determinants of health and disease, models and concepts of health and wellness, and the development of a proactive response to community health issues. (3 credits) Prerequisite: HCS 504

HCS 587 Creating Change Within Organizations The diffusion of innovation models in health care systems is based on principles of planned change within a dynamic organizational environment. Communication skills, such as negotiation and conflict resolution, help leaders analyze and respond to health care needs while using resources efficiently. (3 credits) Prerequisite: HCS 504 HCS 552 Health Care Economics This course focuses on the application of macro and micro economic tools to the health care industry. Content includes demand management; concepts of efficiency, production and distribution of health care services; impact of regulation and reimbursement; and economic incentives in health care. Students apply principles to a variety of business models. (3 credits) Prerequisite: HCS 504 HCS 588 Measuring Performance Standards Quality improvement initiatives rely upon data derived from monitoring program implementation and evaluating program outcomes to determine achievement of program objectives. The processes of developing and revising monitoring and outcome measures are used to help determine progress toward meeting accreditation and regulatory standards. (3 credits) Prerequisite: HCS 504 HCI 500 Concepts of Health Care Informatics This course introduces the student to the basic concepts of health care informatics and health information management. It builds on a historical foundation of informatics and roles of the informatics specialist. (3 credits) Prerequisite: HCS 504 HCI 510 Systems Life Cycle This course focuses on the selection and implementation of an information system within a health facility. The course reviews the phases of the life cycle: planning, analysis, design, implementation and evaluation. (3 credits) Prerequisites: HCS 504 and HCI 500 HCI 520 Data Management and Design This course will provide an overview of the understanding of how data, information and knowledge provides the foundation for health care information systems. The course will focus on the concepts of information and knowledge in relation to databases, systems operations and information systems. (3 credits) Prerequisites: HCS 504 and HCI 500

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